Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
  • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
  • H04R1/20—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics
  • H04R1/22—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only 
  • H04R1/28—Transducer mountings or enclosures modified by provision of mechanical or acoustic impedances, e.g. resonator, damping means
  • H04R1/2807—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements
  • H04R1/2815—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements of the bass reflex type
  • H04R1/2823—Vents, i.e. ports, e.g. shape thereof or tuning thereof with damping material
  • H04R1/2826—Vents, i.e. ports, e.g. shape thereof or tuning thereof with damping material for loudspeaker transducers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
  • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
  • H04R1/02—Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein
  • H04R1/025—Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
  • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
  • H04R1/20—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics
  • H04R1/22—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only 
  • H04R1/28—Transducer mountings or enclosures modified by provision of mechanical or acoustic impedances, e.g. resonator, damping means
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04R—LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; DEAF-AID SETS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS
  • H04R1/00—Details of transducers, loudspeakers or microphones
  • H04R1/20—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics
  • H04R1/22—Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired frequency characteristic only 
  • H04R1/28—Transducer mountings or enclosures modified by provision of mechanical or acoustic impedances, e.g. resonator, damping means
  • H04R1/2807—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements
  • H04R1/2815—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements of the bass reflex type
  • H04R1/2819—Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements of the bass reflex type for loudspeaker transducers

Definitions

• the present invention refers to a loudspeaker, in especially to a bass reflex tube for a loudspeaker.
• a loudspeaker comprises a housing and at least one acoustic driver for transducing electrical signals in soundwaves, respectively in an acoustic signal.
• Such loudspeakers - also called loudspeaker box - are used in standard stereo equipment, mostly in a set of two for obtaining an acoustic stereo effect.
• a said loudspeakers include at least one woofer driver (bass driver), by which an electric audio signal is transduced via a voice coil and a diaphragm into soundwaves of - with respect to the human audible frequency - medium to low frequency.
• a woofer driver by which an electric audio signal is transduced via a voice coil and a diaphragm into soundwaves of - with respect to the human audible frequency - medium to low frequency.
• a certain type of loudspeaker comes with a bass reflex tube mounted in the housing, also known as (reflex-) port or vent.
• these loudspea kers use the sound from the rear side of the diaphragm to increase the efficiency at low frequencies.
• the bass reflex tube has a shape of a pipe or tube.
• the woofer driver is active, the air mass in the bass reflex tube resonates with the air inside the housing of the loudspeaker.
• the resonating frequency (also called Helmholtz resonance) of such bass reflex tube system depends upon the length and cross-sectional size of the tube and up on the volume of the housing.
• the international patent application WO 2005/104607 Al discloses a loudspea ker box having a woofer driver and a bass reflex tube for emitting at least part of the acoustic pressure generated by the bass loudspeaker.
• Said bass reflex tube is segmented and configured by nested, closed annular walls that are mounted in opposite directions on opposite support walls of the housing and terminate at a distance to the respective other support wall, spaced apart from one another.
• Bass reflex tubes according to the prior art and loudspeakers comprising such bass reflex tube generally come with an acoustic quality which, at least for the acoustical trained listener, could be optimized.
• a bass reflex tube for a loudspeaker should be provided, which enables said loudspeaker to produce an acoustic signal according to an electrical signal, wherein the acoustic signal, for example music, shows optimized an improved quality characteristics, in especially with regards to an accuracy of the conversion of electrical signal into the acoustic signal.
• said bass reflex tube is at least partially made of a ceramic material.
• a bass reflex tube (at least partially) made of the ceramic potentially may come with higher costs, it was identified - during the course of i.e. acoustic experiments - that the application of ceramic components or parts of the bass reflex tube influence the overall acoustic characteristics of the system of loudspeaker and bass reflex tube in an improving manner. In especially, it was discovered, that a behaviour with regards to reflection of soundwaves and an aerodynamic reaction of the related air flow improves remarkably.
• said bass reflex tube is at least partially made of porcelain.
• the ceramic material applied in the bass reflex tube is porcelain.
• the use of porcelain comes with improved acoustic characteristics.
• a loudspeaker having a bass reflex tube partially made of porcelain remarkably improves with regards to the characteristics mentioned.
• the bass reflex tube comprises a tubular portion, which is extending in an axial direction of a longitudinal axis of the bass reflex tube. By this an inner surface is formed. An axial rear portion and an axial front portion are provided, both neighbouring the tubular portion on both sides in axial direction. Therefore, the very form of the bass reflex tube is achieved by the front portion - usually facing an outside surface of the housing of the loudspea ker -, the tubular portion and the rear portion.
• At least the inner surface of the tubular portion is made of a ceramic material.
• the usage of ceramic material on the inner surface amplifies the positive effect of the material usage mentioned above. Since the inner surface of the bass reflex tube reflects non-axial directed soundwaves, the inner surface participates in a major, relevant manner to the formation of the acoustic signal produced by the loudspeaker.
• the tubular portion is mainly made of a ceramic material. Due to the major influence on the resonance characteristics of the bass reflex tube, the positive effect mentioned above increases with a tubular portion mainly or entirely made of the ceramic material, in particular of porcelain.
• the tubular portion of the bass reflex tube can have an inner tube wall and an outer tube wall, wherein the inner tube wall and the outer tube wall are, at least partially, extending in axial direction.
• said inner and outer tube walls are mainly directed in axial direction in order to form the tubular portion.
• said tube walls may have a shape of a curve in a longitudinal sectional view and/or are declined or inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular portion.
• At least the inner tube wall is made of the ceramic material; in particular the inner tube wall is made of porcelain.
• the tubular portion can partially be made of a ceramic or porcelain material in form of an inner porcelain or ceramic tube wall, wherein the use of porcelain or ceramic material is explicitly disclaimed with regards to the outer tube wall.
• the inner tube wall and the outer tube wall can be arranged with respect to each other in form of an inlay-structure.
• the inner tube wall can be inserted during manufacturing into an inner space of the outer tube wall.
• the inner tube wall can be supported by the outer tube wall, when being manufactured in such manner.
• the inner tube wall and the outer tube wall are arranged with respect to each other such, that a cavity is formed between the inner tube wall and the outer tube wall.
• the inner cavity is filled with a material with defined characteristics a powerful tool for adjusting resonance characteristics of the bass reflex tube is provided.
• the material is adapted for preventing and/or reducing resonance phenomena taking place at, within or in a structural context with the bass reflex tube.
• the cavity can be filled with a damping or insulation material.
• the cavity is filled with a foam-like material, in especially with an open-porous foam. I n particular, positive effects are achieved, if the cavity is filled with aluminium foam.
• the front portion of the bass reflex tube may comprise a front surface, which is at least partially extending in a radial direction with regards to the longitudinal axis of the bass reflex tube.
• Said front surface can be made of the ceramic or porcelain material, which leads to an improved sound in mission from the bass reflex tube.
• the front portion can be made entirely from the ceramic or porcelain material.
• the inner surface and/or the front surface of the bass reflex tube are polished. This measure leads to an improved reflection behaviour of soundwaves on the mentioned surfaces.
• the inner surface of the tubular portion has a continuous shape.
• the acoustic, absorbing and reflecting characteristics of the surface are optimized.
• the term "continuous" should be understood such, that no steps or edges are present within the inner volume or on the inner surface of the bass reflex tube, which could lead to unwanted reflections of soundwaves.
• an inner diameter of the tubular portion tapers in axial direction from the front portion towards a middle section of the tubular portion. That means, the size of an opening of the front portion - if projected axially - is larger than a size of the opening of the middle section of the tubular portion. Hence, coming from the front portion, the tube walls are closing- in towards the middle section of the tubular portion.
• the tubular portion has a roundish, waist-like shape in a longitudinal sectional view.
• an inner diameter of a front opening of the tubular portion and an inner diameter of a rear opening of the rear portion are larger than an inner diameter of the middle section.
• the emission of soundwaves is improved further, if - according to another embodiment - the inner surface of the tubular portion is merging into the front surface of the front portion, in particular in a continuous manner.
• a loudspeaker comprising a housing, at least one woofer driver and at least one bass reflex tube according to any or a plurality of the preceding embodiments or to a practical combination of the embodiments and forms thereof as mentioned above.
• Fig. 1 shows a front view on a loudspeaker.
• Fig. 2 depicts a side view on the loudspeaker according to fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 is a slightly three-dimensional sectional view of the bass reflex tube being mounted in a loudspeaker according to fig. 1 and fig. 2.
• Fig. 4 is a three-dimensional view on the rear portion of the bass reflex tube according to fig. 3.
• Fig. 5 is a three-dimensional view on the front portion of the bass reflex tube according to fig. 3.
• Fig. 1 and fig. 2 display a loudspeaker 100, wherein fig. 1 is a front view and fig. 2 is a side view.
• the loudspeaker 100 comprises at least a housing 103 having a housing wall 104, wherein the housing 103 forms a front side 105 for facing and auditory or a listening person.
• a plurality of openings is arranged within the front side 105, in which a tweeter driver 102, a woofer driver 101 and a bass reflex tube 1 are nested.
• a longitudinal axis 11 of bass reflex tube 1 is arranged perpendicular with regards to the front side 105, hence, a main emission direction of soundwaves being emitted through the bass reflex tube 1 is mainly perpendicular to front side 105.
• the described details of the embodiment of the loudspeaker 100 shall not limit the extent of the invention such, that the described arrangement is essentially required for embodying the invention.
• an embodiment of a loudspeaker could also comprise more than two acoustic drivers, for example two woofer drivers, a mid-range driver, one tweeter driver and two bass reflex tubes 1.
• Said bass reflex tubes 1 can be arranged within the front side 105, also in a backside, top or bottom of the housing walls of the loudspeaker.
• FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view on an embodiment of the bass reflex tube 1, wherein fig. 3 is a three-dimensional sectional view showing the geometric structure of obviously nonvisible parts of the bass reflex tube 1.
• Said bass reflex tube 1 has basically a tube-like form, at least partially consisting of a tubular portion 4 being axially directed with respect to the longitudinal axis 11.
• the tubular portion 4 is limited in axial direction 2 by the front portion 14 and the rear portion 24, wherein the front portion 14 or the rear portion 24 do not necessarily be embodied/materialized as an actual structure, but those portions 14 and 24 shall represent the physical limits of the bass reflex tube 1, respectively of the tubular portion 14.
• the described geometric structure can be chosen differently in order to work the invention.
• the bass reflex tube can also be formed as a ring, thus having a large diameter with respect to a tubular length.
• the rear opening 25 of the rear portion 24 enables soundwaves within the housing 103 to enter through the rear opening 25 in the tubular portion 14 and subsequently to exit the bass reflex tube 1 through the front opening 15.
• the tubular portion 4 comprises radially inner surface 7, which mainly extends in axial direction 2, but may also be directed, at least partially, in a radial direction 3.
• the inner surface 7 of the tubular portion 4 of the bass reflex tube 1 shown in figures 3 to 5 can be made of a ceramic material, in particular of porcelain. Said measure comes with the effect, that soundwaves traveling through the tubular portion 4 are influenced favorably by the porcelain surface 7, which results in an improved acoustic sensation being experienced by a listening person in the surroundings of the loudspeaker 100.
• the front portion 14 may have a front surface 17 at least partially extending in a radial direction 2.
• the front portion 14 may be designed such, that - when the bass reflex tube 1 is mounted to the loudspeaker 100 - the front surface 17 is arranged collar-wise on the front side 105 of the loudspeaker 100.
• the front surface 17 of the front portion 14 is made of a ceramic material, in particular of porcelain. Due to the fact, that the front surface 17 also participates in channelling and influencing soundwaves traveling through the tubular portion 4, the described application of a ceramic material or porcelain for said front surface 17 provides an enhancement of the acoustic characteristics of the loudspeaker 100 having the bass reflex tube 1.
• the tubular portion 4 has an inner wall 8 and an outer wall 9, thereby forming a cavity 10 in between the inner wall 8 and the outer wall 9.
• the inner wall 8 is designed with a convex shape with respect to the longitudinal axis 11.
• the inner volume of the tubular portion 4 comprises waist-like shape, wherein a middle section 5 of the tubular portion 4 has an inner diameter 6, which is smaller than an inner diameter 26 of the rear opening 25 and which is smaller than an inner diameter 16 of the front opening 15, too.
• the cavity can also be provided by an inner wall and outer wall, which have a different shape as described, for example, the cavity 10 can be formed by two straight walls, which are arranged with a radial distance with respect to each other.
• An embodiment of the shown bass reflex tube 1 can be made entirely of the ceramic material, in especially of porcelain. This measure could provide the positive effect, that the manufacturing process is simplified.
• the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications and may be embodied in various forms within the gist thereof.
• the technical features of the embodiments and modifications corresponding to the technical features according to the embodiments and forms described in the Summary of the I nvention section may be replaced or combined as appropriate to solve some or all of the above-described problems or obtain some or all of the above- described effects.
• the technical features may also be omitted as appropriate unless they are described as being essential in this specification.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Otolaryngology (AREA)
• Details Of Audible-Bandwidth Transducers (AREA)
• Obtaining Desirable Characteristics In Audible-Bandwidth Transducers (AREA)

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Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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Citations (4)

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• 2016
  • 2016-04-29 JP JP2019507993A patent/JP6912050B2/ja active Active
  • 2016-04-29 RU RU2018141857A patent/RU2719636C1/ru active
  • 2016-04-29 ES ES16720403T patent/ES2955928T3/es active Active
  • 2016-04-29 PL PL16720403.1T patent/PL3449642T3/pl unknown
  • 2016-04-29 KR KR1020187033124A patent/KR102159731B1/ko active IP Right Grant
  • 2016-04-29 EP EP16720403.1A patent/EP3449642B1/de active Active
  • 2016-04-29 WO PCT/EP2016/059683 patent/WO2017186311A1/en unknown
  • 2016-04-29 US US16/097,350 patent/US10681456B2/en active Active
  • 2016-04-29 CN CN201680085929.6A patent/CN109196880B/zh active Active

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